Early in Second City's opening night performance of its "Dysfunctional Holiday Revue" at the Marcus Center, the cast launched its first improvised skit by inviting the audience to give it four words.

One of the wags in the seats offered "Cudahy," and the puzzled looks from the flatlanders on stage suggested they hadn't done much traveling north of Evanston, Ill. Dazed and confused, they soldiered on, building a story that was all the better because those telling it were slightly lost. | Dec. 7, 2012»Read Full Article

Classic screen 'Carol'

There are a lot of great screen Scrooges, but Alastair Sim set the standard with his performance as old Ebenezer in "A Christmas Carol," the 1951 British telling of Dickens' classic tale. You can see it on a big screen when the FOCUS Film Society shows a rare, uncut print at 7 p.m. Saturday at Church in the City, 2648 N. Hackett Ave. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Article

"Bill W.," a documentary about the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, is showing at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Landmark Downer Theatre, 2589 N. Downer Ave.

Unlike some such movies, "Bill W." is a warts-and-all portrait of William G. Wilson, co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, using interviews, recreations and archival footage to show Wilson's personal battles, leading to the formation of the influential organization that he was never able to join himself. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Article

"Hitchcock" is about two men with murder in their hearts. One of them is the title character, the pear-shaped film director who channeled his demons and an obsession with icy blonds into such films as "Rear Window," "Vertigo" and "North by Northwest."

If he hadn't the talent and opportunity to do so, he might have turned out like another man, Plainfield, Wis., native Ed Gein, who confessed to killing two women and whose house was found filled with parts of bodies exhumed from graveyards. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Article(1)

"Nobody Walks" is a bushel full of familiar indie-film devices held together by honest writing and charming performers.

The movie, having its Milwaukee premiere this weekend at the UWM Union Theatre, has impeccable indie credentials: It's co-written by Lena Dunham, whose HBO series "Girls" is the poster child for intelligent comedy; one of the movie's producers, Alicia Van Couvering, was nominated last week for the Piaget Producers Award, given to emerging producers, at the indie world's Oscars, the Spirit Awards. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Article

In the fourth quarter of each year, the annual best-of writing anthologies swarm the display tables and impulse-buy spaces of bookstores, vying for your holiday shopping dollars. Nearly all are available as e-books, too.

Let's take a look at what some of this year's collections offer. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Article

Sportscaster Bob Costas, who reignited the debate over gun control with his remarks on "Sunday Night Football," stood by those remarks in an interview in The Nation.

Costas made his original remarks one day after the murder by Kansas City Chiefs player Jovan Belcher of his girlfriend Kasandra Perkins. Belcher later killed himself. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Blog Post(81)

Things will get wild at the Marcus Center March 8 when "Jungle Jack" Hanna brings his "Into the Wild Live" show there March 8.

Hanna hosts "Jack Hanna's Into the Wild" and serves as director emeritus at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. He's made numerous TV appearances with his animal friends and has worked as a wildlife advocate for years. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Article

The last day of service for Guanajuato Mexican Restaurant at 2301 S. Howell Ave. will be Dec. 11. The opening date at its new home down the block, 2317 S. Howell Ave., will be announced later, the restaurant said on Facebook.

Once it moves out of 2301, a new Mexican restaurant, Mr. Webo, will start renovating so it can move in. | Dec. 6, 2012»Read Full Blog Post

We just know you haven't heard "White Christmas" enough yet this season to be sick of Christmas music. But in the off chance you are, there's a great alternative gig tonight at the Mitchell Domes' "Music Under Glass." Tweed Funk brings its edgy R&B sounds to the stage. Here's more